Thursday, February 3, 2011

Bertha Meinzen Henderson - Death Certificate

Bertha Meinzen Henderson is the last of the adult children of Henry and Elizabeth (Armitage) Meinzen who died prematurely. Elizabeth bore 15 children; only 6 were alive at the time of her death. Bertha is my grandfather's sister.

MEDICAL CERTIFICATE OF DEATH16 DATE OF DEATH May 14, 191817 I HEREBY CERTIFY, That I attended deceased from May 12, 1918, to May 14, 1918, that I last saw her alive on May 14, 1918, and that death occurred on the date stated above a 9 Pm.The CAUSE OF DEATH was as follows: Facial Erysipelas [barely legible] (Duration) 1 ds. Contributory Carbuncle(Signed) Edward J. C. Sander, M. D.May 17, 1918 (Address) Steubenville Ohio18 LENGTH OF RESIDENCE (For Hospitals....) [blank]19 PLACE OF BURIAL OR REMOVAL [not legible] DATE OF BURIAL May 19 191820 UNDERTAKER [not legible] ADDRESS Steubenville O

Notes and CommentsThere may have been an obituary for Bertha but I have been unable to locate any Steubenville newspapers published at the time of her death. I keep hoping one will surface.

The certificate inaccurately gives Bertha's mother's place of birth as Germany. She was born in England.

Though the location of birth is not legible on the certificate, Bertha was buried in Union Cemetery, Steubenville, Ohio.

Erysipelas is a skin infection caused by strep. It can be treated with antibiotics which were unavailable during Bertha's lifetime. A carbuncle is a skin infection that involves a group of hair follicles. In our times it is difficult to understand how quickly an infection like this could lead to death.

Bertha left her husband, William Henderson, and a son, William O. Henderson, who was about 9 years old at the time of his mother's death.

1 comment:

You hit on the thing that strikes me almost every time I look at older death certificates - how people died of conditions that are so easily treatable now...and even sometimes, in the few short years following their deaths.

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Sometimes I want to jump back in time, into the lives of my ancestors. Not to stay, of course -- too many modern conveniences I'd rather not do without -- but to meet them and watch their interactions with each other. Since I can't do that, I spend time learning about them and the times in which they lived. I look forward to meeting them. I've been seriously searching for my ancestors for nearly 8 years. I plan to continue indefinitely.
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